The Processor
The present invention relates to a processor which is particularly applicable to working doughs or batters, eg. for bakery products such as bread or cakes, but which could be used for entirely different purposes, such as mixing paints or chemicals, being particularly suitable for semi-solids in general. The processor may carry out operations other than or in addition to mere mixing, for instance, hydration of a bread-dough mix or development of a bread dough.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,947, U.K. Pat. No. 1,129,244, French Pat. No. 2,336,168 and West German Offenlegungsschrift (DOS) No. 24 40 079 all disclose processors which utilise planetary motion. In DOS No. 24 40 079 the working element shaft does not rotate, though in one embodiment (FIG. 7) the working blade can rotate idly about the axis of its shaft, so that the blade can effect planetary motion about two axes which intersect. In all the remaining cases, the working element rotates relative to the receptacle about two axes which intersect, and in the particular case of French Pat. No. 2,336,168 (which can be for kneading dough), the receptacle is part-spherical and the axes can intersect at the geometrical centre of the part-sphere. However, in none of these cases is simple rotary motion of the mixing element provided for, and the processors are only for working or mixing in one mode of operation. In one embodiment (FIG. 7) of French Pat. No. 2,336,168, the receptacle is freely rotatable, ie. is not directly driven but is rotated by the reaction of the material in the receptacle, but there is no suggestion that the motion of the receptacle could be arrested.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,543, French Pat. 411,738, UK Pat. No. 1,053,493 and UK Pat. No. 890,355 disclose processors using simple rotary motion of a working element, about the geometric axis of the receptacle except in the case of UK Pat. No. 1,053,493, where the respective axes are parallel. French Pat. No. 411,738 and UK Pat. No. 890,355 disclose part-spherical receptacles, but the part-spherical shape is only incidental.
French Pat. Nos. 382,033 and 502,288 and French patent of Addition 9599 disclose dough kneaders having two working elements whose axes are coincident, or in French Pat. No. 502,288 are crossed and pass close to but not through the axis of the receptacle. The working elements can undergo planetary motion or a simple rotary motion about their own axes. The receptacle itself is not part-spherical and the working elements have a special shape so as to sweep the major part of the receptacle and so as to avoid fouling each other; if there were just one working element, it would not be possible for it to sweep the major part of the receptacle.
German Pat. No. 617,972 describes a stirrer/beater machine in which the working element can undergo simple rotary motion or planetary motion about two inclined and intersecting axes. Although the receptacle is substantially hemispherical, the working element can sweep only a small proportion of the volume of the receptacle when it undergoes simple rotary motion. German Pat. No. 619,914 makes use of basically the same machine, but in this case, the working element's planetary motion is about two parallel axes and the receptacle base is not of part-spherical shape. Furthermore, when the working element undergoes simple rotary motion, the motion is not about its own axis and it executes a quasiplanetary motion.